This study investigated the association between gasterointestinal (GI) symptoms and a broad set of emotional and behavioral concerns in 95 children with high-functioning autism and IQ scores ≥80. GI symptoms were assessed via the Autism Treatment Network’s GI Symptom Inventory, and data were gathered on autism symptom severity, adaptive behavior, and multiple internalizing and externalizing problems. The majority (61%) of children had at least one reported GI symptom. Emotional and behavioral problems were also common, but with a high degree of variability. Children with and without GI problems did not differ in autism symptom severity, adaptive behavior, or total, internalizing, or externalizing problem scores. However, participants with GI problems had significantly higher levels of affective problems. This finding is consistent with a small body of research noting a relationship between GI problems, irritability, and mood problems in ASD. More research to identify the mechanisms underlying this relationship in ASD is warranted. Future research should include a medical assessment of GI concerns, longitudinal design, and participants with a range of ASD severity in order to clarify the directionality of this relationship and to identify factors that may impact heterogeneity in the behavioral manifestation of GI concerns.

Light is considered the dominant environmental cue, or zeitgeber, influencing the sleep-wake cycle. Despite recognizing the importance of light for our well-being, less is known about the specific conditions under which light is optimally associated with better sleep. Therefore, a systematic review was conducted to examine the association between the amount and timing of light exposure in relation to sleep outcomes in healthy, community-dwelling adults. A systematic search was conducted of four databases from database inception to June 2016. In total, 45 studies met the review eligibility criteria with generally high study quality excepting for the specification of eligibility criteria and the justification of sample size. The majority of studies involved experimental manipulation of light (n=32) vs observational designs (n=13). Broad trends emerged suggesting that (1) bright light (>1000 lux) has positive implications for objectively assessed sleep outcomes compared to dim (<100 lux) and moderate light (100-1000 lux) and (2) bright light (>1000 lux) has positive implications for subjectively assessed sleep outcomes compared to moderate light (100-1000 lux). Effects due to the amount of light are moderated by the timing of light exposure such that, for objectively assessed sleep outcomes, brighter morning and evening light exposure are consistent with a shift in the timing of the sleep period to earlier and later in the * Corresponding author. ndautovich@vcu.edu. (N.D. Dautovich).

Objective Obesity is prevalent in midlife women and contributes to poor health outcomes. Understanding mechanisms leading to weight gain in this population is of importance for prevention and intervention. The current study investigated the association between depressive symptoms and weight in midlife women by examining (1) stress eating as a mediator between depressive symptoms and weight, and (2) menopausal status as a moderator of the associations of depressive symptoms, stress eating, and weight. Methods An archival analysis was performed using data from the Midlife in the United States II study (MIDUS II). The sample consisted of 815 premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Measures included the CIDI-SF, a coping questionnaire, and BMI. Results Moderated mediation analyses were conducted with ordinary least squares path analyses using Hayes’ PROCESS macro. Controlling for covariates, depressive symptoms were not directly associated with weight, b= −0.4, 95% CI [−0.4, 0.1]. However, stress eating was a significant mediator between depressive symptoms and weight, b= 0.3, 95% CI [0.06, 0.3]. The mediation was conditional on menopausal stage, b= 0.2, 95% CI [0.05, 0.4], with depressive symptoms and stress eating significantly associated in postmenopausal, not premenopausal women, b= 0.3, 95% CI [0.2, 0.5]. Conclusions Both stress eating and menopausal status significantly contributed to the depressive symptom—weight association. Psychosocial factors play an important role in the association between depressive symptoms and weight, and the results highlight the need to focus on both behavioral factors as well as menopausal status when identifying who is at risk for the development of poor weight outcomes.